These air fryer chicken wings are my family’s favorite for the crispiest, juiciest wings! They’re coated in lemon pepper seasoning and finished with the best lemon pepper sauce, making them a delicious appetizer and an absolute must for game day or Super Bowl parties.
Why You’ll Love These Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good deep-fried wing. But these air fryer chicken wings prove that you don’t need a vat of oil to get that same crispy, golden skin. They’re just as satisfying, noticeably lighter, and incredibly easy to make. Much like my air fryer chicken breast or air fryer salmon, the process is mostly hands-off with minimal cleanup, which is always a win. So whether you’re making them for a Super Bowl party or just a bunch of hungry bellies, they’ll always disappear fast. Here’s why you’ll love them:
- Done in 30 minutes. Just season, air fry, and serve!
- A guaranteed hit. They’re always a winner at my Super Bowl parties, but my family also loves them for a fun and easy weeknight dinner.
- The best lemon pepper flavor. That classic lemon pepper seasoning and simple lemon butter sauce are hard to resist. Though you could always dip them in ranch dressing as well!
Air Fryer Chicken Wings Ingredients
If possible, grab chicken wings that are already separated into wings and drumettes. It saves time and makes prep even easier. But if you buy them whole, you can absolutely cut them yourself. If you want a visual, I show exactly how to do this in the video for my honey mustard chicken wings.
- Chicken wings: You’ll need about one pound for four servings. If feeding a crowd, double or triple the recipe and cook in batches.
- Olive oil: Just one tablespoon is all you need to lightly coat the wings and help them crisp up.
- Lemon pepper seasoning: You can make your own, but I usually grab a store-bought bottle for convenience. It’s easy to find and super versatile. Plus, you can use it to make my lemon pepper chicken recipe!
- Salt: Lemon pepper seasoning already includes some salt, but a little extra kosher salt really helps boost the flavor.
- Lemon pepper dipping sauce: This optional sauce is made with butter (or ghee if you’re dairy-sensitive), honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, and more lemon pepper seasoning. If you love saucy wings, this buttery, lemony, slightly sweet sauce takes things over the top.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Step one: Prep the wings. Preheat your air fryer to 390°F(200°C) for 2 to 3 minutes. Pat the wings very dry with a paper towel, then toss them in a large bowl with the olive oil, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt.
Step two: Air fry. Arrange the wings in an even layer in the air fryer basket, making sure they’re not overcrowded. Air fry for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden and crispy. Flip them halfway through, or give the basket a good shake, so they cook evenly.
Step three: Make the sauce. While the wings are finishing up, stir together the warm butter, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt in a small bowl.
Step four: Serve. Toss the hot wings with some of the sauce right before serving for a buttery, lemony finish. Or keep the sauce on the side for dipping. The choice is yours!
Tips For The Best Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Use fresh wings when possible. Frozen wings work, but fresh wings always turn out juicier and more tender. Plus, no thawing is required.
- Pat them dry. This is key! The drier the wings, the crispier they’ll be, and the better the seasoning will stick.
- Chill for extra crispiness. This step is optional, but if you want an extra crispy finish, place the wings uncovered in the fridge for about 2 hours before seasoning.
How to Store and Reheat Crispy Chicken Wings
Leftover air fryer chicken wings store really well! Just keep the wings and the sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. When you’re ready to reheat, the air fryer is your best friend. If yours has a reheat setting, use that. Otherwise, pop the wings back in at 390°F for about 3 to 4 minutes, until they’re heated through and crispy again.
More Party Appetizers
- Best Ever Guacamole: A must-make for parties!
- 7 Layer Dip: Perfect when you can’t decide on one.
- French Onion Dip: Creamy and caramelized.
- Best Ever Chili: Serve this in mini bowls!
- Jalapeno Poppers: Cheesy, bacon goodness.
If you try this air fryer chicken wings recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- 1 pound chicken wings (about 10 wings), wingette and drummette separated
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Lemon Pepper Dipping Sauce
- ¼ cup melted butter or ghee
- ½ tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from half the zested lemon)
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
Instructions
- Prep the wings. Preheat the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes at 390℉ (200℃). Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel, and place them in a mixing bowl. Toss the wings with the oil, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt.
- Air fry. Place the wings in an even layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 18 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway through or shaking and tossing the basket every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking.
- Make sauce. While the chicken wings are cooking, prepare the lemon pepper sauce. Stir together the warm butter, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, and salt.
- Serve the chicken wings along with the dipping sauce. Alternatively, you can toss the chicken wings in a little bit of the sauce before serving.
Lisa’s Tips
- Each serving is about 3 wings.
- Storage & Reheating Tips: Keep the wings and sauce in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. When you’re ready to reheat, the air fryer is your best friend. If yours has a reheat setting, use that. Otherwise, pop the wings back in at 390°F for about 3 to 4 minutes, until they’re heated through and crispy again.
- There’s a lot of air fryers to choose from. After doing a bit of research I purchased this Ninja Max Air Fryer and have been loving it!
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally published February 2022, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
I haven’t made this yet, but will! We loved your baked pork chops, and just made the honey garlic tenderloin last night. Both of these are now in my rotation! Thank you!
Excited for you to try these recipes and glad you enjoyed those other ones as well, Anita!
This was a hit!
I have been following you for a while, but I had yet to make a recipe. I had been on the fence about buying an air fryer; however, following your advice and taking advantage of the Black Friday deals, I got one last week. I wasn’t sure which recipe to try first, but I finally decided to go with this one. I thought your enthusiasm over these wings was exaggerated, boy, was I wrong! Not only was it really easy, but it was also a total hit. I made over six pounds and had almost no leftovers. I am so looking forward to trying others.
I’m glad your first Downshiftology recipe was a hit with these air fryer chicken wings, Caly! Definitely put that air fryer to use with my other air fryer recipes :)
Love this recipe! So easy and yummy. Did not even need to use the sauce. It’s a keeper!
Yay! Glad you loved these lemon pepper wings, Donna!
The black lemon chicken wings are delicious. They are the best Lemon chicken wings I have ever had.
Happy to hear you’re enjoying these chicken wings!
I just made this tonight and it is sooooo gooooood!!! It’s way easier to make than I expected. Thank you.
Hi Selena – Amazing! Happy to hear your air fryer chicken wings turned out perfectly with this recipe!
This was amazing and such a hit at my Superbowl party. Definitely my new go to.
Wonderful! Glad to hear these air fryer chicken wings were a hit for your Super Bowl party, Griselda.
This was so easy to fix and it came out so delicious. I’ll be making these again!
Glad your chicken wings turned out great, Barbara!
I want to try these – they look so easy! Question though – concerning nutritional value… you show 238 cal, 4 grams carbs and 12 grams protein is that WITH the sauce or might the values be different if you don’t use the dipping sauce? Thank you.
Hi Grace – yes, that includes the dipping sauce. Enjoy!
For most of my years of teaching, my husband stayed home and was Mr. Mom, doing most of the cooking and getting the kids ready for school, while working from home. Because of this I never really had time to cook or the interest really. He was Godsent! After I retired, I started to take an interest in cooking. Now with your great recipes, especially those that use the air fryer, and then all your great dressings, it is even easier to cook for the two of us. I am about to try your chia desserts and your ultimate breakfast casserole! Can’t wait to taste them!!
Hi Rita – What an amazing husband you had! But, happy to hear you’re getting back into the groove with cooking and are enjoying several Downshiftology recipes, including these air fryer chicken wings!
Recipe is perfect! We got fresh drummettes and flats from Walmart. I used Kinder Lemon Butter Garlic seasoning. They were a hit and my husband is obsessed!
Hi Jennifer – Happy to hear your air fryer chicken wings turned out perfectly!
The temp and time listed in the recipe turns out perfect every single time! We have “Downshiftology Wings: 390* for 20 minutes” written down on a note inside the cabinet right above the airfryer so we never forget! So delicious and easy!
Hi Becca – I love the personal note in your kitchen! I’m glad you love this recipe.
Make a double batch as they will go quickly. If his was my first time making chicken wings and they were a hit. Recipe is very easy and delicious!
Hi Mindy – It’s always a good idea to make a double batch! I’m glad these wings were a hit.
Made this recipe over the weekend, with my new air fryer. It is so delicious!
Hi Jennifer – Happy to hear your wings turned out great!
Super easy and super delicious 👌🏻😋. This is a must try recipe.
Thanks for leaving a review and happy to hear you enjoyed these air fryer chicken wings, Mira!
This is amazing. More flavors please :).
So happy you loved the chicken wings, Mira! And yes, I definitely need to add more flavors.:)
This was my first time making chicken wings in my air fryer and I was impressed with how they turned out! It took closer to 25 – 28 minutes for the wings to get the golden brown tint I was looking for. At first, I thought turning the wings every 5 minutes might be a little excessive, but flipping them multiple times turned out to be key. The flavor was delicious! Consider warming up the butter dipping sauce again right before serving. Mine started to thicken which began to look a bit unappetizing. Overall, it’s a tasty recipe! Thank you!
Happy you loved the recipe, Jessica!
Wow, these wings were a hit at my job delicious 😋
Glad these wings were such a hit, Rosa!
The wings are perfectly-cooked in this Air Fryer recipe. So crispy. Don’t skip the dipping sauce, it is to die-for!
Thank you Lisa for your website and all of your beautiful recipes. I’ve had to drastically change my diet 6 months ago to a strict Paleo lifestyle due to health issues. Your recipes have helped transition into this new food world. You have given me passion to learn to cook and bake in a healthier fashion. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Happy to hear these air fryer wings turned out perfectly! Thanks for leaving a review and glad Downshiftology recipes have been helping along the way :)
This recipe is such a great basis for modifications. I used chicken drumsticks since those were on hand and the seasoning and butter for dipping worked out well. I used the 18-20 mins as a starting point for cooking in my air fryer but it’s likely closer to 25 mins with the larger sized pieces.
These were amazing – whole family loves them!
Yay, happy to hear it!
Hello Lisa, is it safe freeze them for batch cooking?
Yep, you can freeze these wings!
Thank you! I’m trying them for tonight dinner and if they are success, as I foresee, I’ll make a batch.
Lisa, I loved the wings they were amazing! I wanted Wingstop but they didn’t have fries so I made it on my own. These were really good everything balanced perfectly all the flavors. It was super easy especially since I don’t like really oily wings.
Glad you enjoyed these wings Maite!
Hi Lisa,
I do enjoy your videos and tips. Would you be able to say which AirFryer you are using?
I’m using the Nina Air Fryer :)
Hello Lisa,
discovered your channel lately and enjoying it very much. It is a refreshing addition to my healthy-vegan lifestyle. I did not find your typical extensive opinion / recipes regarding an air fryer. Could you pls relate to the issue? Thanx in advance!
Hi Gabriella – Happy to hear you’re loving Downshiftology so far. As per my opinion on air fryers, they’re a great tool for convenient, fast, and delicious recipes. I haven’t tested too many recipes yet, but these chicken wings came out perfectly. I plan to make more air fryer recipes soon so stay tuned!
I would love to have a recipe for air fryer roasted veggies! thanks
In the words of my husband, this was a home run! These were delicious will definitely make again.
Could these be made ahead of time? Any recommendations for reheating?
These are best made fresh since it doesn’t take very long. As for reheating, I have a few notes on how to re-heat in the air fryer written in the post :)
What about the non stick coating in the air fryer? Is there an air fryer that uses stainless steel?
Hi Angela – I haven’t found one yet.
My air fryer is stainless steel inside & I love it, a CalmDo air fryer that I found on Amazon. Had to return my first air fryer when the non-stick coating started peeling.
Just found your website & now I’m planning to try these wings!
Hope you enjoy this chicken wing recipe Jamie!
I Love LEMON PEPPER CHICKEN WINGS. it’s Yummy
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I have never gotten an air fryer, but this recipe temps me to get one because you always have good ideas. I notice that there are a significant number of reviews for most air fryers that complain about a strong plastic odor and taste in the food. Knowing how you prefer glass containers for storage, and how you avoid toxins in your food, I would appreciate knowing what your experience has been. I assume this has not been an issue for you or you would not have posted the recipe. Are there any precautions or procedures you used to avoid this problem? Thank you for your advice.
Hi Paul – I did not experience any plastic odor from my air fryer at all.
I LOVED this recipe Lisa. I just got an Air Fryer and have no idea what to do with it. More recipes using that for sure. Love your site and YOUTUbe channel. You are awesome. Thanks for your had work and recipes.
Will definitely be making more air fryer recipes – so stay tuned Brock!
So delicious! Juicy. Made me like chicken wings again. Thanks Lisa!
Yay! Glad you enjoyed these chicken wings Shannon :)
Just made these chicken wings for Super Bowl, and WOW. I’m going to have to make several more batches as my husband devoured the first one before the guests even arrived – haha. So good!!
Yay, love to hear that! And yes, it does make sense to purchase a couple extra pounds of chicken when making this recipe. ;)
Hello,
I have a Breville smart oven, do you think l could make this recipe in it?
Thank you
Diana
Yes you can! Although, the temp and time may vary. It should be fairly similar though.
Air Fryer Recipe Suggestion: Spicy Egg Rolls filled with Shrimp, Hot Sausage, Cabbage, Garlic, Ginger, etc…
Thanks Mike! I’ll keep those in mind for the future. :)
Excellent recipe. I’m going to try this with sliced chicken breasts.
Hope they turn out great!
They look so tasty‼️ Thanks again for your videos; I love them all💕
Hope you enjoy these chicken wings Mary!